← All articles · July 18, 2026

AI Agent for Online Stores: Stock, Shipping & Returns — Answered Automatically

Quick answer: An AI agent for online stores answers the repeating WhatsApp questions in seconds, 24/7 — availability and sizes, shipping costs and times, returns and exchanges — exactly per the policies you define, and sends a gentle follow-up to shoppers who asked but didn’t buy. Setup takes about half an hour, and the WhatsApp connection is a single QR scan. Pricing starts at $164/month with unlimited messages — a fraction of a support rep’s salary.

In an online store, customer questions are almost always the same questions: availability, sizes, shipping times, returns, order status. Each one is simple — but together they swallow hours of customer service, and whatever isn’t answered fast becomes an abandoned cart and a purchase at a competitor.

The questions the agent closes on its own

• Availability and sizes — “do you have these shoes in 43?” The agent answers from the product info you defined.
• Shipping — costs and times per your policy, including pickup options.
• Returns and exchanges — the agent explains the process, exactly per policy, no improvisation.
• Basic recommendations — “looking for a gift around $50” — suggestions based on your defined categories.
• Follow-up — someone who asked and didn’t buy gets a gentle follow-up, with consent.

Where the money actually is

Moment	Without instant replies	With an AI agent
Size question at 10pm	Answered in the morning — purchase already made elsewhere	Answered in seconds, sale closes
”Will it arrive by Friday?” before a holiday	Support swamped, customers give up	The agent answers everyone in parallel
Question right before checkout	Abandoned cart	Doubt resolved = deal closed
Returning interested customer	Forgotten	Polite automatic follow-up

What to configure carefully for a store

• Full shipping policy: costs, times, regions, pickup
• Returns policy in plain sentences
• Product categories with price ranges (for recommendations)
• Real FAQs from the last month
• When to hand off to a human: complaints, issues with an existing order, special requests

Setup is half an hour with the business profile guide, and the WhatsApp connection is one QR scan.

And Instagram inquiries?

Online stores live on social — and that’s where inquiries fall through most. The growth agent also answers Instagram DMs and Facebook messages, from the same business profile and dashboard. No “got a coupon?” at 10pm goes unanswered.

FAQ

Does the agent connect to my inventory system?

The agent answers from your business profile. Direct inventory integrations aren’t available currently — the practical approach: keep categories and policies updated in the profile, and let the agent hand off item-specific stock questions to you.

Can it give order status?

If you define the process (“orders ship within 2 business days, tracking number by email”) it answers accordingly; digging into a specific order is a classic handoff to you — with full context.

How does the cost compare to a support rep?

From $164/month with unlimited messages — a fraction of a salary, while the agent covers nights, weekends and rush hours. Details on pricing.